topic Re: System Accounting in Operating System - HP-UX

System Accounting

SSP_1 — Thu, 18 Apr 2002 06:14:02 GMT

Hi All,

If I have enabled system accounting on my hp-ux system , just wanted to know which are the files I have to look into for accounting info.

Re: System Accounting

Michael Tully — Thu, 18 Apr 2002 06:33:32 GMT

Hi:

Have a look here:

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x1cb43fa720f3d5118ff40090279cd0f9,00.html

Re: System Accounting

Steven Sim Kok Leong — Thu, 18 Apr 2002 06:37:31 GMT

Hi,

The main files are:
- /var/adm/pacct
- /var/adm/wtmp

For more information and accounting usage,

# man 1m acct

Hope this helps. Regards.

Steven Sim Kok Leong

Re: System Accounting

Shannon Petry — Thu, 18 Apr 2002 14:21:23 GMT

The files pacct and wtmp are used by the accounting system, and are of no use to you!

The files you need to look at are the reports generated by system accounting. These are located in "/var/adm/acct/sum".
Human reports are called sa$M$D where $M is the month and $D is the day of the month.
Additional data can be parsed with prtacct and are called ta$M$D where $M is the month and $D is the day of the month.

Normally I do not call runacct directly from cron, but build a script to do the following.
1. runacct # obvious
2. ckpacct #Turns acct off if disks are getting full
3. Compress reports more than one month old.
4. remove reports more than 3 months old

NOTE: You could also print the reports for yourself so they are ready when you come in. ;)

Personally, I think that system account is the most usefull yet underused of UNIX services. Hope it serves you well!

Regards,
Shannon

Re: System Accounting

MANOJ SRIVASTAVA — Thu, 18 Apr 2002 14:30:25 GMT

Hi Shripad

The main file is /var/adm/pacct which keeps on getting fatter with the usage . You can see man acct to get more information . accton will give the o/p as you desired . man accton will get you where you want.

Manoj Srivastava